The inspection by Russian coast guards of ships heading through the Kerch Strait to the ports of Mariupol and Berdiansk is illegal, - Volodymyr Omelyan

On May 8, 2018, the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine held an expanded meeting on discussion illegal actions of the Russian Federation, in particular, inspection of ships, regardless of their flag state, that heading through the Kerch Strait to the ports of Mariupol and Berdiansk.

Raivis Veckagans, the Head of the Ukrainian Sea Port Authority, Izet Gdanov, the first deputy Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Crimea, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine, Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, Ministry for Temporary Occupied Territories and internally displaced persons of Ukraine, State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Security Service of Ukraine, Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, Ukrzaliznytsia, The State Service of Ukraine for Transport Safety and others were attended the meeting.

The Minister of Infrastructure said that the inspection by Russian coast guards of vessels that sailing through the Kerch Strait to the ports of Mariupol and Berdiansk is illegal: "This is another gross violation by the Russian authorities norms of international law. We understand that this step is conscious and it is not difficult to predict their next steps. Ukraine will respond in a comprehensive way. "